THS: The Production Assistant

A blog where you can experience the ins and outs of the film biz in NYC through the eyes of someone starting from the bottom up (with a few celebrity sighting puzzles along the way).

Wednesday, August 02, 2006

Now I know what the Heat Index means

Over the past two days, NYC has been hit by a heat wave that has pushed temperatures into the 100's and the "heat index" to between 115 and 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Wikipedia, as always, provides a nice explanation of what the heat index is here :The Definition of the Heat Index. Great stuff right? Not so much when you are working out in the heat all day. All I do is sweat when I step out of the campers to start work. It's not very flattering and there is no way to make any of it stop unless I hide somewhere out of the way. Empty dressing rooms are always good. Turn on the radio, take a few cold waters inside, and just relax. That is, relax until someone knocks on the door because you are in THEIR hiding place and they want in.

The more you work in film/TV production, the more you pay attention to every minute detail of what the weather is going to be like day-by-day. On my last job, we had a weather service subscription that one girl probably called about 15 times a day or night, depending on the incoming weather situation. Clouds, rain, sun, lighting, snow, winds...They are all factors when you shoot outside. It's crazy. And this is where I go every morning before work: NYC Weather. So now that it is hot, and I am dying from the over the top humidity, I know in 6 months I'll be crying about how cold I am and how I won't be able to feel my toes for an hour after I get home.

Such is the life of anyone who works outside year round.

Stay cool everyone.

Tuesday, August 01, 2006

Que es un Heat Index?

So they keep saying the Heat Index will be around 110 degress today in NYC. I hear the term "heat index" all the time but I never really wanted to ask what it meant exactly. Actually, the more I think about hearing that term, the more I assume how terribly crappy it's going to be as I sit outside the campers today while everyone else is filming on the 6th floor. I'll let you all know how the "heat index" treats me.